All the Rage
by Irene Claire
Summary: What are the consequences when Grace and her friend, Andi, are approached and offered what could be an exciting one time modeling job? Is Jase Kendall the photographer he claims to be ... and better yet, is the opportunity really what he promises?
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes:** _this is NOT the story I have been lazily poking at but the crazy week equals catharsis writing and much purging. Oddly, Grace's POV ... hmmmm ... what could the muse be thinking THIS time? My thanks to Phoebe for the encouragement._

 **H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

"Wow! Stop right there! I know you ... don't I?" Instead of feeling complimented, Grace scowled at the man asking while giving him a critical look.

"What?" She asked, instantly on guard. Her hands fell to her side where she'd been modeling a blue dress in front of the shoppe's mirror and she only just barely managed to hold her ground. Something about him made her uncomfortable despite his pleasant smile.

"Baja, right? The shoot two months ago for that kid's department store. What was it, again - the Mill House shoot. Real classy catalogue. Come on - I know it's you," the guy insisted. "You were like the next top model and I never forget a face."

Tan, blonde and Grace had to admit, very handsome, he was all smiles. She waffled for a moment, wondering if she was being fair with her fast judgement. He seemed nice and was obviously mistaking her for someone else. Still ... Grace frowned. Did he think she was stupid?

 _He never forgot a face?_ He was feeding her a line and it was the worst one ever in her opinion. Undecided now if she liked him or not despite his congenial personality, Grace couldn't hold her tongue as he held out his hand in welcome.

"Evidently you _do_ because that wasn't me," Grace cracked as she cautiously shook his hand.

"Well my bad then," he said, still smiling from ear to ear and refusing to rise against her sarcastic reply. "Beautiful dress, by the way."

"Thanks," Grace said. Previously undecided about the color, she mentally edged towards not liking the dress at all as the guy continued to hold her hand. He nodded, evidently admiring the dress even more while intentionally holding her at arm's length.

"Jase Kendall. A pleasure ... so if that wasn't you on the Baja shoot, it should have been; you have that million dollar look."

"Yeah, well ...," Grace said as freed her hand from his dry grip. "Listen ... I have to go."

"Yeah, but hold on okay?" Kendall pressed calmly. "What's your name then? Maybe I can petition your parents about joining the job I'm on right now? Another catalogue shoot ... two of our kidd-oes got sick on the plane over and are down for the count. You'd be the perfect fit for what my talent scout is desperately looking for ... nice magazine, too. I know it's only June, but it's a holiday catalogue and things take time, you know? Can I give you my card ... what did you say your name was?"

"No thanks. Not interested," Grace said off-handedly. "And, I didn't ..."

"Hey, Grace, did you find that dress?" Andi's voice piped up suddenly from behind her. "Oh, not that blue one ... the yellow one? The sales lady says there's a few left ... on the sales rack ... half price. She's not sure the yellow was ever on sale ... but there might be something else ..."

"Well, hey, who's this pretty young lady? " Kendall interrupted with a pleased purr and right then, Grace decided she really didn't like the guy at all as he took advantage of Andi's accidental error in using her name. "Who's your friend, Grace? I think the two of you would be awesome for the photoshoot."

Before she could stop her, Andi was all smiles right back at Kendall, ears perking up as he made believe he was taking her photograph with his hands. Andi had the gall to giggle as she bounced forward.

"Hi, I'm Andi. Photo shoot?"

"It's nothing," Grace said as she tried to pilot Andi to the side to whisper what she was thinking. "We need to go ...I don't like him. "

"Seriously, wait," Kendall said, his tone now pleading as he appealed to Andi's more friendly nature. "If Grace isn't game, then Andi ... I wonder if you could help me out? You've got that island look about you ... exotic ... _perfect_ ... the lens would love you and that golden hair."

"Are you talking about modeling?" Andi asked. Self-conscious, she tucked her hair behind an ear. "Me?" Her green eyes were shining with interest and Grace could have smacked her friend right then and there. "I always wanted to be a model ... or try ... at least try."

While that was a true enough statement, Grace shook her head, her senses on high alert as Kendall took Andi's hand to playfully twirl her around where Grace had refused, his grin infectious. "I could easily see why," Kendall noted.

"Andi ...," Grace said. "We have to go ... _now_." Her eyes narrowed mistrustfully and she refused to smile back at the photographer. With an aggrieved sigh, Jase Kendall dropped Andi's hand when he caught Grace's defiant expression.

"All right," he said to Grace. "I'm sorry ... you're right. This is way out of the norm and I could be anyone. Some psycho nut. Anyone at all. It's just that time is money and we're losing money like mad with two of our kids down and out for the next two days and we're only here until Friday."

Other than rolling her eyes upwards, Grace didn't budge as Kendall reached into his pocket. It was Andi who took the man's business card, her eyes shining and her cheeks blushing as he smiled warmly at her.

"I'd appreciate a call ... it's my cell. But you gotta call today," Kendall explained to Andi. "You'd be _great_ and you'd be doing me and my crew an enormous favor. The shoot's at the La Mer Hotel ... walking distance from here. Real calm environment ... public setting ... it's on the up and up. Promise. Call me or just show up at 5pm today, okay? Oh, and we'd pay two hundred dollars for the shoot. If you want to give it a try, I'll set you up with my talent scout. Okay?"

"Yeah. That sounds cool," Andi said, ignoring the way Grace bumped angrily into her shoulder. "Okay. Maybe ... that would be really neat."

"And I heard you before, Andi," Kendall added. "You could splurge and get that dress you were talking about ... the yellow one right?"

"Let's go," Grace murmured into Andi's ear, but Andi only widened her eyes meaningfully at Grace.

"Two hundred _dollars_ , Grace? I could get that dress _and_ the shoes," Andi whispered, her expression now wistful. "It's so much money ... and he said it was in a public spot. That's good, right ... so I could just go if you didn't want to."

"No!" Grace argued back in surprise. " _Andi_! You can just go with this guy!"

"It's almost four o'clock already, so if you came now," Kendall said loudly, interrupting their quiet whispers. "We could just get all the paperwork done ... take it and show your parents fast ... and you'd be doing me a huge favor. And you know what?! I'll throw in those shoes you like myself. Plus you can keep whatever you'd be modeling since it's a real bear to ship everything back Stateside. We often let the kids keep what they wear on the set; just another fun perk. Since it's a holiday catalogue, you'd be the latest rage - the envy of all your friends - well in advance of _Christmas_. So, what do you say?"

"Come on Grace, _please_?" Andi begged Grace. " _Please_ ... won't you come with me then? This is such a great chance!"

'I know you're not all that interested, Grace," Kendall said. He shrugged as if bored now. "But you could just watch. Right? How bad would that be?"

Against her better judgement and knowing that neither of her parents - or even Andi's parents - would ever approve their spontaneous decision, Grace found herself nodding and then being tugged along with Andi and Jase Kendall after a fast change back to her regular clothes. Together, they walked the short block to the La Mer. Her only consolation was that she couldn't let Andi go alone.

 _ **~ to be continued ~**_


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes:** _completely thrilled you're all enjoying this! posting will occur as chapters are finalized - and I've 4 or 5 total chapters in decent draft form._

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"Mr. Cavanaugh, I know what you're thinking ..." Jase said. Behind him but blocked by three armed men he'd covertly picked up in the La Mer lobby, both Grace and Andi were huddled in each other's arms; Andi quietly sobbing and Grace, cradling her arm to her chest. Her one attempt at getting away from Kendall had been embarrassingly derailed, gaining only what felt like a broken wrist in the process. Purses gone, ID tossed and cell phones, smashed, the two were cut-off from the outside world within minutes.

Stunned into silence, Grace stared at the man who she was now going to be faced with dealing with next. If Jase Kendall was bad news, the man he was _selling_ them to was apt to be one thousand times worse.

That man in the La Mer's finest penthouse suite was perched on the edge of a dark desk, his slacks as perfectly tailored as his hair. His blue eyes were crisp, his face impassive, and yet his eyes were slowly darkening with a percolating anger which she'd only seen on very rare occasions. And until that very moment, an anger never aimed directly at her.

"No, I really don't think you do," the man - Mr. Cavanaugh - noted, his tone far too droll as he studied Grace from top to bottom, his cold eyes dwelling far too long on her injured wrist. If Kendall didn't know better to react to that, Grace certainly cringed at the sound. She sensed the danger it held and instinctively knew that, in no uncertain terms, there was going to be hell to pay.

"No, no! Give me a chance, Mr. C!" Jase interrupted quickly, striding forward to stand in front of where his client sat poised so nonchalantly against the desk. "I know we haven't met in person but after all these months, I know your taste and while you did make it clear ... just like you have in the past ... blonde, petite ... well, you have to admit, for a brunette, she's a real looker isn't she?"

"For a brunette!?" Grace gasped out loud while she literally gaped in disbelief at the man's audacity, her mouth falling nearly to her chest. Eyes huge, she didn't know if she should laugh or cry or scream when she saw _Cavanaugh's_ face morph right in front of her. That blank, unreadable look twisted for a just a moment into a white-hot fury before settling on a simmering, quiet rage and Kendall took a hesitant step backwards.

"So? You were trying to impress me then?" Cavanaugh inquired softly. The question was loaded with innuendo and Kendall suddenly didn't quite know what to say.

Grace watched Kendall swallow hard, trying to figure out what to say, the photographer finally reading his client correctly. His try at damage control only made Cavanaugh's temper all the more worse though.

"She's a spit-fire that one," Kendall explained. "Tagged along with her stupid, little friend ... so yeah, a gift. You _should_ be impressed."

"Well, I'm not," Cavanaugh breathed out so softly that Grace outwardly winced. Their eyes met and his eyes focused briefly on her wrist before he glared at Jase Kendall.

 _Her Danno was about to lose it in grand style._

If she'd been shocked out of her wits by seeing her _father_ in the hotel room, her _Danno_ \- acting as this Mr. Cavanaugh - was ten times more-so shocked. Having inadvertently been entrenched into one of 5-0's sting operations, she was easily going to be grounded for the rest of her natural born life ... and then some ... as her father's face went completely devoid of expression, she hardly recognized him. This Mr. Cavanaugh was someone to be reckoned with and Grace both felt dizzy with relief and simultaneously terrified.

All hell was going to break loose. And not necessarily there in the posh room of some exclusive, downtime hotel, but in the privacy of their own home. Maybe both.

Grace didn't dare breathe or move as Danno stared her down for the longest time without saying a single word. Kendall grew uncomfortable with the silence but wisely stayed quiet as well. Her wrist throbbed hot and tight and Andi continued to cry by her side. For all intents, it appeared as if her father might be a statue but Grace saw the muscle in his jaw spasming and the way he was barely managing to swallow. Grace easily read all of those signs as Andi clung to her, her eyes tightly closed, with tears marring her cheeks.

"You don't know me at all," Danny finally hissed out between his teeth and with an effort, averted his eyes from Grace to stare directly at Kendall, his hands fisted in his lap. "I do _not_ like surprises, Kendall."

Eyes hardening and shoulders square, this man, _Cavanaugh_ , wasn't her father at all but some cold, aloof stranger. A dangerous and powerful man in every sense of the word. He glanced to the men, Kendall's hired help who so casually now blocked the way out. With his lips twisted, Cavanaugh pointed dismissively at Kendall's lackeys.

"I want them out of here. Now. _Gone_. This was _not_ what I asked for Kendall in a private meet and exchange of goods."

Grace blinked, mesmerized by the metamorphosis. Her father's teeth were gritted together so tightly, Grace could literally hear the enamel grinding. He got to his feet then from where he'd been sitting and pinned Grace with the sternest look she'd ever seen. She cowered backwards, dragging Andi with her. A moment later, _Cavanaugh_ was striding around both her and Andi like a predator. Sizing them up and Grace winced again. His gait was stiff, wracked with fury but maybe even fear as some of the real person behind the mask leaked through. And how could he help it with his daughter in the midst of some horrible operation she'd no right being involved in?

She'd really messed up and put Danno in a terrible predicament; not that he wouldn't have cared about any kid in that room right then. But this was _her_ and Grace was now well aware of the added stress she was causing him. Anything could happen or go wrong and he could get hurt too. That realization brought tears to her own eyes and Grace felt the lump growing inside her throat. She'd really messed up and this was so, so wrong.

 _"I'm sorry,"_ she mouthed when his shadow blocked Kendall's view of her face. A tear rolled down Grace's cheek as she cocked her head towards Andi and then tried to shrug, her weak gesture still clear in its meaning. Her father's shoulders dipped just enough. His eyes flickered briefly to the left and she quickly followed his glance towards what had to be the bedroom's closed door. Their eyes met again and his lips adopted a stern, white line. For a minute Grace didn't understand but then Danno was walking again, his proximity pushing both girls virtually up against the farthest wall, leaving a clear line of sight between that door and Jase Kendall.

Confused at first, Grace had to bite her lip to keep from smiling through her tears as a sense of abject relief flooded her from top to bottom. _Uncle Steve._ Of course. _Never without backup_ , she knew what her father was doing. She knew that her Uncle Steve was on the other side and just waiting for the go-ahead to put an end to the sting operation.

With a calm belying what she knew her father was feeling, he turned to face Kendall and the three men, his body now purposefully placed between her and the dangerous men. Stance hip-wide, Danno crossed his arms over his chest and inhaled deeply before speaking.

"I don't like being _monkey'd_ with," Danny said, stressing the obvious word loudly to taking advantage of Kendall's ignorance. Grace felt dizzy by the use of her nickname though. A message to her uncle? Something else? Grace tucked her arm to her chest, feeling sick. Things were happening too fast and she couldn't keep up. He'd channeled the father for a microsecond before reverting to the cold hatred of Cavanaugh, his disdain for Jase Kendall plainly evident no matter his role.

"Who the hell are _they_?" He asked again about the hired help. Then he pointed to Andi and to Grace, and Grace edged backwards even more, not liking the looks of _Cavanaugh_.

"After all these months," Cavanaugh sneered. "You dare take advantage of my good nature? You dare assume that you know me or think my orders, idle? My standing orders were very specific about our first in-person meeting. We were to meet alone. Except for the merchandise, of course ... you've sorely tested my patience Kendall. I'm inclined to pull the plug on this ... and all of our future dealings."

"No, no no!" Kendall practically squawked and stammered as Cavanaugh threatened what had to be a lucrative operation. "I didn't mean to offend you. Hey, listen, I'm sure you can understand my need for security, Mr. C. And as far as the girl is concerned? Yeah, I can appreciate your ... confusion. But she wanted to tag along with the first one and who was I to turn down another opportunity," he said, completely ignorant of his pending doom.

"So, yeah, I took a chance that she might appeal to you. But if two won't work or you're simply not interested ... I've another potential buyer... no harm, no foul. I can have my guys leave ... they can take that one out here, too. That way our we can focus solely on the original goods and those contractual terms."

Without being asked, one of Kendall's lackeys stepped forward with every intent of prying the two girls apart. Grace paled and failed at hiding a whimper of fear, wondering how her father was going to manage this unexpected turn when he completely changed the subject.

"Stop. What other buyer?" Cavanaugh practically growled under his breath. His hand was enough to forestall the lackey's approach.

Up against the wall behind him, Grace could see the muscles tightening under his shirt. Something about his position altered and Grace's knees began to wobble. Things were escalating and he'd want her to get down. _Stay low ._.. and she mentally nodded to herself as her father shifted on his feet.

 _Soon_ ... she'd have to be ready and so would Andi. "Follow my lead," she whispered softly to Andi, who barely could look at her for the tears coursing down her cheeks.

"What?" Andi croaked and sniffled, doing nothing more than hiding her face in Grace's shoulder. "I want to go home," she moaned.

"Just, shut up and hit the floor when I do," Grace murmured, her good hand tightening so hard on Andi's that her friend began to cry even harder.

"Well hell yeah. Of course I have another buyer!" Kendall was smirking now as he continued talking, hands flung out wide to exaggerate his far reach. "We're all businessmen, right?"

"Not on _my_ turf," Cavanaugh sneered. "Is this other buyer ... local? I don't like competition ... I don't like ... _trade_ wars."

"Nah, you misunderstand me. He's off shore ... Thailand," Kendall added, completely down-playing Cavanaugh's heightened irritation. "No worries, Mr. C. To each his own ...so price? The blonde as delivered to you ... by yours truly ... is it a deal at the agreed upon price? Still if you want, I'd be more than willing to throw in the other as a courtesy. To you."

" _Uh, huh._ Courtesy," Cavanaugh replied blandly. He seemed to be mulling over Kendall's ridiculous explanations. Grace recoiled deeper into the wall, fear suddenly getting the better of her as Cavanaugh's rage took a firmer hold. Suddenly, the floor seemed like a really good place to be. It wouldn't take much for her to collapse right then and there.

"That's really ... nice of you. _Thoughtful_ even," Cavanuagh added. "But ... Kendall ... you've really screwed things up here."

She couldn't quite figure out if it was Cavanaugh so angry or her Danno; then did it really matter? The oily slick of his tone promised trouble no matter which he was channeling.

"Have I?" Kendall challenged quite unexpectedly. Grace's eyes widened in surprise. Suddenly gone was the stammer and all of the ridiculous explanations. But where she was surprised, Cavanaugh didn't react at all.

"Yes. Yes, you have," Cavanaugh confirmed quietly as he shifted again, overly watchful of the three men, and Grace wavered in place, readying herself for what - she didn't quite know. She sensed it though and began to tremble. The changes in the air were tangible. Electric and thick. Fraught with danger.

Horrified, Grace watched as Kendall's fingers twitched. The three men were teetering on an edge and yet, scarcely moving, all eyes dangerously trained on her father: on ... _Cavanaugh_.

 _ **~ to be continued ~**_


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes:** _ongoing thanks to all of you who are reading/commenting/enjoying this story. Ongoing thanks to Phoebe for the run-throughs and beta at the last minute._

 **H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

It all happened at the same time but in an agonizingly slow motion as Kendall ducked behind his men, all of whom were already moving towards her father. He clocked them no doubt, but she and Andi were his priorities. Unarmed and unprotected, he whirled towards her as a gun was discharged, then two more. Shouts from a set of new voices rang out, followed by the overwhelming noise of just .. _. too much._

"Danno!" Grace cried out desperately within a surge of chaos where everything was so, so _loud_ and Grace fell to her knees, dragging Andi with her.

"Grace ... _Grace_!" Her eyes were widened in terror even as her father was right there in front of her, calling out her name. Practically falling into her on his knees. His arms fell protectively over both her and Andi and for a brief moment, Grace felt as if she might be holding him up. "Down, monkey ... keep your eyes shut tight," he whispered. His strained and hoarse voice the one thing she clung too within the near deafening din.

"Dad ... _dad_ ...," she whispered over and over again into his shirt, crying now as much as Andi.

"I've got you Grace," he promised in her ear while tucking her close to him. "Don't look ... don't move. Both of you ... stay _down._ " Grabbing for his arms and sinking her fingers into the material of his shirt, Grace did as she was told. Eyes squeezed tightly shut and her head tucked into his chest, she was still deafened by a clamor of noise, gunshots and what sounded like breaking glass and splintering wood. Next to her, Andi screamed and _screamed_ , making everything all the more chaotic.

 _"Down! Drop your weapons! Now! Down - down!"_

Through the din, only one other voice rang out loud and true. She knew that voice well, yet Grace only hid more within the warm, safe circle of her father's arms. Sure enough her Uncle Steve was there and without needing to confirm it with her eyes, based on his tone of voice alone, he was just as shocked - and as upset by her presence - as her father.

"What the _hell_ Danny! _Grace_!? Is that ... _Grace_?!" Steve shouted loudly around an oath of rage as he added his own body protectively over Danny's to give them all an additional buffer as another smattering of gunshots clattered around them, breaking glass and thudding thickly into the hotel room's walls. Grace felt her father lurch at the same time Steve grunted. Both men cursed and then Steve was screaming out orders over the gunfire.

"Round them up! _NOW_ people!" Steve demanded. "I want Kendall alive and I want this put to bed. _NOW_!" Her uncle was indeed in a fury, but crouched down over her and Andi, her father stayed eerily silent as he hugged her tightly to his chest.

"Dad?" Grace asked as she shuddered, shocked not only by the ferocity of the counter-attack, but by the severity of her uncle's demeanor. Despite the strength of his arms, her father was too quiet. While on her opposite side, Andi cried out, trying to literally bury herself into Danny, the floor, or anywhere to feasibly escape the short-lived but violent barrage. When it ended, it ended as abruptly as it had begun and then for a few seconds, the silence was just as frightening.

"Danny? It's over ... you good?" Steve finally asked, breathless. "Hey ... Danny?"

Her father only moved at the sound of her uncle's voice. On his knees, he never looked at Steve. He held Grace for a moment at arm's length. His muscles were bunched tightly, his fingers digging painfully into her upper arms. After a ragged inhale, he managed to ask the most obvious question.

"Are you all right?" Grace nodded. Except for her wrist, she thought she was. She thought she should ask her father the same question, too. Instead, it was her uncle who was back to crouching over them, picking at her father's shirt.

"Danny? You hit? _You're hit_ ...," Steve's voice ebbed and flowed over her, the words not making too much sense even if she thought she heard every single syllable of them. Over where she stayed huddled on the floor, his shadow moved, but continued to dominate their space. Daring to look up, Grace stared at her uncle not sure she recognized him for a minute. He was bigger than she'd ever seen him. Clad in black he owned the space where she was; the very room itself. Everyone was at his beck and call.

"Dad?" She asked softly. Her brow furrowed in consternation when her brain refused to kick-start. One of her uncle's hands was melded to her father's shoulder, his knuckles whitened from the pressure he was exerting. Her uncle's other hand was pressing even harder against her father's ribcage as he knelt in front of her. Under his fingers, small streaks of red flecked his skin as well as her father's shirt, but Grace couldn't get her head wrapped around the reason why. Instead, she wound up staring back up at her uncle, his expression grave which was doing nothing to calm her frazzled nerves.

"Are they okay ... are they good?" He was demanding over and over again. "Are they hurt?"

"Yeah. No. Grace?" Danny asked through a tightly strangled voice. "Gracie? You're not hurt, are you? Your wrist?" He grimaced unhappily at the way she was cradling her arm and despite Andi's tearful nod. Grace missed what her father said next as he traced his fingers over her injured hand and the purpling swelling on her wrist with utmost care. Her gaze zeroed in, watching his fingers move over the bruised skin of her hand as if it wasn't her appendage at all.

"Danno?" She whispered when he cupped her cheek. Then he was running both of his hands gently over face, through her hair and then her gripping shoulders much too tightly. Finding nothing more, he rapidly checked Andi again, his own face now quite pale.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Steve asked suddenly and Grace looked up at him in surprise not knowing how to handle the stricken look on this face, too.

Grace opened her mouth but her voice simply wouldn't cooperate. _I'm fine,_ she thought to herself when her father seemed to turn an alarming shade of gray. She needed to tell them both that she was okay and yet, nothing seemed to work right. Strangely it was Andi who managed to say something first.

"My f-fault," Andi squeaked out. "H-he s-said it was for a _mo-modeling job_."

Grace nodded in agreement, shaking badly now and wanting nothing more than to leave La Mer and hide at home for a good, long time. She kept staring up at Steve who was now pacing yet still managing to lurk mere inches from her father's shoulder. His hands were streaked with blood and Grace felt a wave of dizziness wash through her. It made her feel nauseous and sick.

 _Was that from her father?_

"Danno?" She repeated weakly. She pointed to her father's side where the dark stain was smudging the light blue material. Her wrist ached miserably but her father was hurt, too and he'd seemed to have forgotten. Even Steve was distracted because she was sure neither man heard Andi's feeble explanation. But before she could say more, her father was moving, struggling to his feet and then trying to barrel past Steve.

"Where is he! I'm going to kill him!" Her father was suddenly shouting. "Get out of my way, Steve! I'm going to kill him!"

"Hey, hey, hey! No you're not ... just calm the hell down!" Steve shouted back, grappling with him, using sheer brute force to prevent him from going any further. "He's downstairs ... Kendall's already cuffed and with the Feds ... it's over, Danny. You hear me? It's over."

Grace stared at them both now. Her brain felt fuzzy and her stomach twisted. She sat on the floor wondering why she didn't even try to get up because her father was hardly holding it together.

"It's okay ... it's over, buddy," Steve repeated more quietly. Very slowly he released the strong grip he'd had on her father's arms only to start picking at Danny's shirt, worrying over the bloody stain. He ducked his head down, searching, insistent on pulling up the ruined shirt. He winced sympathetically when he examined the crease and Grace swallowed hard when she saw the ragged, bloody mark.

"Let me take a look at this, _huh_? I knew I hated this idea from the start ... no damned vest. No protection at all," her uncle griped under his breath.

"I had you," Danny muttered as he allowed Steve to prod the deep slash.

"Yeah, you had me. Behind a closed door," Steve noted almost petulantly. He sighed, apparently relieved with his findings. "It's not too bad, but still. You ... and Grace ... both girls? You all need to get checked out, okay?"

"Yeah," Danny forced out as he turned back towards Grace and bent down to help her to her feet. Next to them, another officer was helping Andi and then responding to Steve's nod of permission to get her out of the hotel room, to the further safety of a patrol car.

Grace wobbled in place, unsure of the unsteadiness of her legs. Stupefied when Danno placed both his hands on the top of his head, digging his fingers into his scalp in a vain attempt to regain his composure. He was looking at her and then staring at her wrist, his expression near-devastated. "Grace ... _why_ are you here?"

"I'm sorry ... it .. just happened," she whispered, her voice quavering and sounding thin. Her eyes welled with tears faster than her father could thumb them away. Everything was wrong and confusing. Her uncle was just as upset. Grace glanced to him, too. But then her eyes were drawn to a thin rivulet of blood running horizontally across her Uncle Steve's temple. It was tiny, no more than a spidery vein-like line with a series of miniature reddened beads, one larger than the others. She raised her hand and pointed, mortified to find that she couldn't control that either as it bobbed awkwardly in the air.

"Y-you're bl-bleedng too, Uncle Steve," she managed to whisper.

"It's fine Grace. Let's get you both out of here, Danno ... get you checked out," Steve said curtly as he dabbed at his forehead more in irritation than anything else. He grunted however, unexpectedly favoring his left arm and shoulder, frowning when a single droplet of blood splattered the tiled floor of the hotel room.

"Uncle Steve?" Grace asked, frightened. That hadn't come from his forehead. Confused, she tried to follow the red mark back up to where it seemed to originate from, unsure of what she was going to say next when another glistening teardrop caught her eye. It fell mid-flight from his fingertips to land directly on top of the first. She got stuck watching the small splatter on the tiled floor where its dark maroon became a prettier shade of red.

Standing like a rock, frozen, her father scowled, also trying to figure it all out as Steve's fingertips turned color right in front of their eyes.

"What the _hell_ did you do!" Her father barked at Steve a second before he shoved him hard, both hands fisted into the straps of his tac-vest. "What did you do?!"

"What? What did _I_ do?" Steve choked out as he lost his balance, stumbling backwards a few steps, nearly falling. Then he was trying to avoid Danny's oddly placed wrath while he grappled next for Steve's wounded arm. " _Ow_! Get off - stop it! Danny, what are you doing?"

"Stand still ... what the hell's wrong with you, _huh_?!" Danny yelled back as he tried to remove Steve's tac-vest, roughly shoving and pushing at the thing as if his fingers wouldn't quite work right way he wanted. "You're _bleeding_ all over the damned place!"

"Well so are you!" Steve retorted, hissing in pain as Danny's fingers connected with the wound.

"Steven, what did you do?" Danny repeated inanely as he followed the freely flowing red track from Steve's fingers up to his bicep where it disappeared under the sleeve of his black tee-shirt. When her father didn't stop, his breath beginning to come out in a frenzied wheeze, Grace rocked in place. It was crazy really. She could only watch in dumbstruck awe as her uncle completely changed direction to grab her father's arms and give him a strong shake.

"Danny! _Danny_ , listen to me and calm down. It's over and she's _fine_ ," Steve said while ducking his head down to snare her father's attention. "Calm down, buddy. Grace is fine .. maybe a little shocky. So, first things first. Get her out of here. Get Grace's wrist checked out ... make sure both the girls are okay. Go do that."

There was a moment of silence where she saw her father's shoulders tremble just once before his face nearly crumpled. He inhaled sharply, found an iffy center but then coughed, a ragged, sickly sound and Grace began to cry all over again.

"Steve? _Why_ is she here?" His voice sounded distant, wrecked and tight with emotion. "She almost ... what the hell's going on? This never should have happened."

He was the direct antithesis of what _Mr. Cavanaugh_ had been. Her uncle too was at a loss as he looked from her father, to her, and then back again; his mouth opened and then closed. He kept a firm hold of her father with one hand as he scrubbed hard at the space between his eyes and then pinched the bridge of his nose trying to find something worth saying. Her Uncle Steve looked worn out and sick; and his expression was filled with a newfound pain as his shoulders slumped, his left one much lower than the right.

"I dunno," Steve muttered, utterly flabbergasted. " _Some_ ... messed up, _screwed_ up ... Danny, I just don't know."

"Dad?" Grace questioned as her eyes spilled over with tears. "Uncle Steve?" She didn't know what to do or what to say to make anything right. It was Andi's fault, but it was her fault, too.

The two of the most important men in her world were regarding each other, bloodied and bruised both inside and out. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as Danno pulled her into a tight, comforting embrace, her hair ghosting just beneath his chin. She could hear him breathing, even feel the way his heart was hammering inside his chest. But then he was pressing a kiss to her cheek and then to the top of her head. She closed her eyes and bit back a sob when she sensed her uncle stepping closer, his good arm pulling them into the solid wall of his body.

 _ **~ to be continued ~**_


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **Notes:** _getting to where I wanted was sure a process! I can't believe it took so long and then ... so many words. Thank you all again and I hope you've enjoyed this! And Phoebe ... so so patient with endless rounds to get this right. thank you!_

 **H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

Hours had gone by - really one night and two complete days - and Grace couldn't stop crying. She also didn't want to leave the house even if she was standing in her Uncle Steve's kitchen watching both him and her father out on the lanai. She was in a very safe and comfortable place. Just then though, she preferred to be alone. Or, at least _almost_ alone because she was content enough to know they were close and just ... there. She needed to know that. It was very late though. Near midnight and the full moon was spectacular, lighting up the lanai and the grassy area all the way down to the beach. The reflection of light on the ocean almost mesmerizing. Part of her begged to go join them and yet, the solitary other half was screaming all the louder so she stayed right where she was, content in keeping an eye on both of them.

Danno was catering to Steve, practically mother-henning him to death since picking him up from the hospital earlier in the day. It should have been annoyingly cute or even border on almost obnoxious but Steve didn't seem to mind and besides, Grace just couldn't find the humor in anything no matter how she tried to mentally slice it. In fact, she hadn't been able to see beyond her reddened nose since Uncle Steve had been released from the hospital.

 _The hospital._

She should have been happy they were all home together but there were too many reminders. Steve's bullet wound. Her father's bandaged side. She looked down at the cast on her own left arm; the aches and pains from her hospital visit were much too fresh. Her wrist had been fractured and the cast extended mid-way up her forearm. That truth and then seeing the bubblegum pink cast had sent Danno back over a terrible edge where he once again wanted to beat the leaving crud out of Jase Kendall ... until he'd been somewhat diverted by her Uncle Steve's woes. No matter what though, not once had her father even muttered a complaint about his own injury. It was all so typical and Grace should have been relieved, except she wasn't. A simple break was nothing like a gunshot wound ... or two ... even if one was just a crease.

Bullets were bullets and blood was blood.

While his gunshot wound hadn't been life-threatening, it hadn't exactly been the _nothing_ her Uncle Steve had originally claimed. Being at the hospital had been as scary as being at La Mer with Kendall. Looking at her Uncle Steve now, how he had even been released from the hospital just one day after being shot at point blank range was beyond Grace's comprehension. She was still finding it hard to understand a lot of what had happened though. She should have followed her good instincts about Jase Kendall and things would have been normal. At least for her. Reality would have kept the outcome of Five-0's operation much the same - she knew Kendall would have simply found someone else. Kendall would have kept on going until he found some other young female mark in the shopping mall. Danno would still have been undercover and there probably still would have been a violent take-down. As her Danno had patiently said, second-guessing what had happened would get them nowhere.

In other words - Grace's own words - she'd be plain _stupid_ if she thought a lot of what had happened would have been completely different even if she'd done everything right. It didn't make her feel any better though because ... _she hadn't and it had been her._

So, she was still just plain old _stupid._

There were so many other things she could have done - _should have done_ \- but things had happened far too quickly during that short walk. Going round robin in her head, she knew some of those things would have happened if she'd followed her instincts because Kendall held the playbook. He held all the cards. So, it didn't matter if it were her and Andi that day. Kendall would have gotten some other kid to buy his line. The men which Kendall had hired, still would have been waiting along the route.

No matter what naive kid Kendall had in tow, just like she and Andi had been, that kid would have been hustled into a rear freight elevator and then up to the penthouse suite. Stolen and then lost forever.

 _But it hadn't been someone else. It had been her and if Danno hadn't been there ..._ God, she was just so so stupid!

Grace closed her eyes and stifled a frightened sob as she considered what would have happened if Danno hadn't miraculously been the mysterious Mr. Cavanaugh. She used to patiently roll her eyes about Danno's claim of wanting to keep the islands safe for her and her brother. Starting now though? She wouldn't ever be so nonchalant or flippant about that vow ever again.

He really really had meant it - and he'd been working at keeping her safe all of her life. Why hadn't his words ever really sunk into her stupid brain? Because it was clearly because she was the stupidest kid on two feet.

Confused and conflicted, Grace began to silently cry again. Tears streamed down her cheeks, clouding her vision even after she sloppily wiped them away with the back of her hand. Alone in the kitchen, she snuffled and then coughed, almost gagging. Her nose was all clogged and her throat was phlegmy. Red blotches covered her face and neck. Her head throbbed relentlessly and she had no idea what she wanted. She was supposed to be sleeping but couldn't do that either.

So there she stood, in the quiet of her Uncle Steve's dimly lit kitchen, supposedly sleeping in his spare bedroom, but watching her father attempt to coax her uncle back into the house. Instead, Steve was laughing. His breathy, loopy chuckle was just reaching her ears through the open window. Danno was flapping his hands wildly through the air, apparently at a loss as to how to get his blissfully drugged-up best friend to his feet.

It should have been funny, yet she saw no humor in it at all. Instead, she watched them through a watery haze incapable of functioning. She pawed at her face again, still unable to stop crying as she created a migraine-level of pain inside her head. _God_ , she needed to stop acting like a baby already. And _shaking_ , her damned hand wouldn't stop its nervous tremble either and she just didn't know _why_. Using her one good hand, she took a clean drinking glass out of the drain and ran the tap in the sink. She stared at the stream of water rather than filling the glass, her gaze unfocused, just sniffling sadly and generally feeling sorry for herself. Her wrist ached and the cast was already cumbersome. Her fingers were a bit pudgy and stiff, too. She had one good hand. She had to do _everything_ with one hand. She couldn't even do her hair properly.

"Hey? What's this?"

Grace startled, nearly dropping the still empty water glass, and not knowing how her father had managed to sneak up on her. She swiped at her face again, using the back of her hand and vainly trying to force the tears to stop. The water-works were getting her nowhere and her father would only be more upset to see that she was still carrying on like a five-year old. At least he was alone though. Her Uncle Steve was still sitting in his chair down near the beach. He was sitting sideways now, legs every which way and leaning precariously to the side. Where Grace had a cast, her Uncle Steve had his arm immobilized and in a sling. _Blue_. Of course, boy blue to her girl pink. How apropos ... or just plain stupid like everything else. Looking dismally at her own cast and then thinking about the lightly dressed wound hidden under her father's loose fitting tee-shirt, Grace had no desire to even try and smile.

"I was thirsty," she tried to say, but her father was already shaking his head and wrapping his arms around her.

"Nope, not buying it. Try again," he said. He sighed heavily, finger-combing her hair off her shoulders. "Maybe you should have stayed with your mother ... "

"No," Grace replied so quickly that she surprised herself. She definitely hadn't wanted to do that - _still_ didn't want to do that even if she couldn't adequately explain the reason even to herself. She loved her mother dearly and she didn't doubt that her mother and father still loved each other in some way. But she didn't need to hear about how dangerous her father's job was ... _again_ ... or be the dumb excuse her mother used to self-validate her inability to have stayed a cop's wife.

What did that even mean anymore? If any of it were true, then her brother would never have been born and that thought made Grace scowl. If only her mother wasn't such a damned liar ... she and Danno? They'd have been a family again ...

"But Grace ... it might be better for you," her father was saying and she shook herself back to the present.

"What? No, Dad. No, I don't want to," she insisted because he was ready to push the point and Grace just couldn't stand it anymore. "Why would you even say that?"

That flare of temper was too brief for her to capture though. So, it was she who was then sighing loudly, still wiping at her eyes and using her one good hand to shove her hair behind an ear. Having long hair was going to be a trial and tribulation now.

"Are you sure?" He asked, backing off quickly when she glared at him through her tears but still wanting to help. "Okay. Fine. Can you just talk to me then? Tell me what's wrong?"

Grace stared at him long and hard, willing her brain to provide some kind of explanation for her behavior. He didn't blame her for what she'd done. Andi had confessed everything and even sworn without being asked that she'd pleaded with Grace to go with her. Grace almost wanted that blame though. It would have been easier to deal with her Danno's anger than his unquestionable love because she could barely forgive herself.

"Grace?" He asked again when she stayed quiet. She knew that her father would find some way to blame it on trauma or ... God knew what ... maybe even insist on therapy and she was sure that she didn't want to go there. _Ever_. She wasn't damaged per se, just confused.

"I'm good here. With you," she finally said. She shook her head when he reached out to her, hoping a hug might help. But she didn't want that either so to avoid acknowledging his crestfallen expression, she asked about her uncle.

"What's Uncle Steve doing out there? It's practically the middle of the night."

"Star gazing," Danny replied around a semi-amused smile. "Can you believe that?" He snorted comically through his nose, gesturing towards the ceiling.

"Says he can see Ursa Minor and the Little Dipper ... he's mumbling something about North Stars or star families and Polynesian mariners. I have no idea; sometimes your Uncle Steve is the font of useless knowledge. That pain medication is doing a number on a brain already scrambled."

" _Dad_!" Grace was tempted to grin. "That's _not_ nice."

"It's pretty damned funny though," Danny replied, pleased that he managed to get her to lighten up and smile, even if just a tiny bit. "You know what? Sit down. I'll be right back."

"Why?" Grace asked. But she did as he asked and tugged one of the kitchen chairs out for herself. "Why? I just wanted a glass of water."

"Humor me," he said, an eyebrow raised as he examined her flushed and tear-stained cheeks. "Please." When he came back in to the kitchen, he was holding her comb and a few elastic hair bands.

"Oh. You're going to do my hair? Really?" Grace asked softly, fighting that flux of tears all over again. "You don't have to." It wasn't as if Danno couldn't do her hair. He _could_. It had just been a super long time and the gesture, _now_ , made her self-conscious and feeling like that little kid she was struggling to _not_ be just then.

"You don't have to," Grace repeated.

"I know - but I want to," he said as he got down to business, not offering a single other explanation. Quietly, Grace hung her head and then closed her eyes. With his quiet presence, she concentrated on the way he was combing the strands hair out, making sure there were no snarls or tangles. Then, he gathered the thick lock of hair loosely at the nape of her neck, fussing over how sweaty she was as he made a loose ponytail. Then giving her time to relax, he slowly divided the ponytail into three even sections before beginning a gentle weave from left to right and then back again. When he finished, he fastened the end with another hair band.

"There you go," he said as he leaned over to kiss the side of her cheek. "I still remembered ... it's not too bad."

"Thanks, Dad," she whispered. "I bet it's perfect."

" _Almost_ perfect," Danny corrected her. He was smiling now, too. "I'd be happy to help you out tomorrow - if you need it." Grace nodded, knowing she'd want his help and just maybe, she needed a bit of molly-coddling too and that was going to be perfectly alright. She inhaled deeply and then briefly closed her eyes again. She did need to talk and he knew it; he was merely waiting her out. Filling in empty space, worrying and fretting about her, but not pestering.

Grace looked up and gave her father a small smile. He was watching her. Ever patient and she owed him far too much to stay so quiet.

"You asked me what was wrong," Grace whispered as she searched for what she might say that could make sense. "The truth is, I don't know." She hung her head, not looking at him, but staring at her hands again. "I don't know what's wrong but I think it's because of Cavanaugh ... and seeing you like that. Acting like ... him. You weren't ... _you_. I mean, how can I know what you _do_ , but not really get it?"

Danny made a soft, quizzical sound under his breath and Grace tried to read his expression. She doubted that he'd expected that to be her first comment and she was both intrigued and thankful when he didn't question her, but trusted her enough with some background to the undercover operation.

"We'd been working on this with the Feds for weeks, Grace. _Weeks_. The real Cavanaugh was arrested more than a month ago. Once we realized he'd never met Kendall, the rest was easy enough to pull together. I was asked to participate since, even though Cavanaugh laid very low most of the time, the Feds thought I could pull him off in a face to face meet with his primary supplier."

"There's a _real_ Cavanaugh?" Grace whispered in surprise. Her eyes widened because she hadn't though of the guy being real; only that Danno might have created some kind of fictional character to trap Kendall. But if she thought about what Kendall had said about _knowing_ Cavanaugh's likes and dislikes; then there had been girls before her and Andi and maybe a lot of them, too.

"Oh my God, I am _so_ stupid!" she mumbled to herself feeling a new pang of fear. "Of course there is. So ... so what would have happened if you hadn't been there?" Grace swallowed hard as she tried to come to terms with her own question, but her father was already beginning to fall apart. This might have been one of the more anticipated questions - the obvious one - but her father wasn't prepared to answer or confront it.

"Don't let me hear you say that ever again because you are _not_ stupid, Grace. Not at all. But ... I don't ... I _can't_ ...," Danny stumbled over his words, backpedaling and suddenly looking desperate. He raised one hand high only to back up a good many steps, his expression stricken.

"I can't even _think_ about what might have happened if Cavanaugh had still been out there. Or, if Jase Kendall had changed course or taken you to some other _client_. I can't consider those options. _Not you_ ... it's bad enough ... the _other_ kids. But not you ... no."

"Danno?" Grace asked, worried, as he turned away from her, pacing the kitchen. Balled up motion on the edge of a frenzied meltdown. Whatever hatred and rage he felt was still festering inside him; he hated both Kendall and Cavanaugh with an unbridled passion and she didn't know what to say to him. In fact, his reaction was so visceral, it was proof that he was still hiding a lot about the case from her. Things she shouldn't know and definitely things she didn't need to know.

"Listen, Grace?" Danny started to say. "I ... _um_ ... I need you to hear me out. Okay?"

His eyes were bright with emotion as he knelt down in front of where she was sitting. He winced as he aggravated the crease running along his ribcage and yet, ignored the uncomfortable twinges in favor of her needs. Unhappily, Grace managed not to object as he took her good hand in his, his thumb moving to rub soothing circles over her knuckles. Danno just had to do some things his way despite how distressed she was to feel that he was practically vibrating in pain. Ignoring himself, her father only inhaled deeply, staring for a second or two at her new cast. She was going to have to hear him out no matter what.

"Just ... I've gone over this a million times in my head and I don't know how this could have been avoided. How you could have just walked away from all of this and I come up empty every time because of Andi ... and what she'd asked you do. I get it - I understand. I really do understand how you _both_ got sucked into this thing ... and it's really not your faults. Kendall was - and is - damned smart. He's a snake ... so, please take me seriously whenever you think I'm being over-protective or ... acting like some stupid, over the top parent. I just can't have anything happen to you. Or your brother. Promise me that you'll at least listen?"

"Yeah, okay. I promise... and I do listen. I listen all the time," Grace answered sincerely. "I'm sorry, Danno. I tried to stop Andi and change her mind but then ... I just didn't want to leave Andi alone. It really did just happen."

"I know," her father said. A new sadness was sitting behind his eyes though and Grace fought back her own tears hard. He was as scared as she still was for what almost had happened if he hadn't been there. There might be some time in the future where he might not be there at all. And then what? What would she do? Feeling that spike of fear again, she laced her fingers tightly through his and then leaned down to kiss his cheek.

"Danno? I'm really, really glad you were there," Grace whispered softly. "For me ... and for Andi ... and I love you."

"I love you, too, monkey," Danny said as he rocked forward to hug her. "So, so much. If this had to happen ... I'm glad it happened now so that I could be there, too."

"What about me?" Steve's voice boomed from behind them. He startled them both when he suddenly showed up in the kitchen doorway from the lanai. He was blinking owlishly in the brighter lights of the house and looking decidedly off balance.

"I was there."

"Oh my god," Danny muttered, still balanced on his toes in front of Grace. He stared into her eyes and smirked in amusement. "See?" He whispered while tapping the side of his head. "Scrambled brains."

"Dad! _Don't!"_ Grace laughed, covering her mouth far too late to hide her surprise at Steve's unexpected arrival plus her father's sarcastic comment.

"What? I was there ..." Steve repeated innocently. "Wasn't I?" Still smirking, Danny got to his feet, eyeing his unsteady partner who's expression was now bordering on a wounded sense of confusion.

"Yes, Steven ... you were there, too. In my ear the entire time," Danny confirmed. "Bitching and moaning ... the entire time ... even when I had everything under control."

"N'uhm? No," Steve mumbled, suddenly frowning. "You almost went ballistic. But you did good."

"Ya think I did good?" Danny griped. He sighed dramatically, not so secretly pleased when he saw that Grace was still smiling. But a moment later, that happiness was fading fast as his unfiltered partner continued speaking.

"I do," Steve replied all too seriously as he gestured to Grace. "Real good because you know, for a brunette and despite your gene pool, she's not too bad. And really ... I thought you were going to kill Kendall when he said that even if he was right."

Grace's mouth dropped open in stunned disbelief, she had to smile and then laugh out right, a sound that came out more like an inglorious snort because of her swollen sinuses. Her father was blinking far too rapidly as he tried to absorb what Steve had just said.

"What's wrong with you? " Danny more stated than asked. With the back of his hand, he slapped Steve in the chest. _Hard_. "Now I know for a fact that Doris dropped you on your head."

"But, no. Why? It's true and ... it's a compliment. Isn't it?" Steve blurted, clearly confused by what he might have said wrong. "It's a _compliment_." His eyes were a bit too glassy as he looked from Danny to Grace. And he looked ... so innocent ... so damned earnest ... that Grace had to laugh harder.

"Oh, Uncle Steve!" she said, chuckling even more when he gave her a baffled, one-shouldered shrug.

"You're a moron," Danny said. He was fighting back a smile though too as he covertly rolled his eyes for Grace's sake and tapped his head again to keep her laughing.

"What? Why?" Steve asked. "So? Hey? Are we gonna do another group hug?"

"No, definitely not," Danny kidded him. "Never. Nope! You don't deserve one after remarks like that."

But it was too late. Rolling his eyes skywards, Danny was clearly begging for some very real patience as Steve lurched forward to literally drape himself over Danny's shoulders. He leaned on him completely on purpose, knocking Danny off balance, all the while grinning like a lunatic.

"So? Who loves me, _huh_?" Steve asked, his good arm held wide, inviting Grace in to hug him too, which she happily did.

"I love you, Uncle Steve," Grace said as she looked up at him, her smile growing and her tears forgotten.

"C'mere Danno," Steve crooned dramatically as he tucked Danny into his chest next and began to sway to and fro. "I love you, too, buddy."

"Stop it! Bed, now," Danny insisted when Steve's face lit up in a lop-sided smile. "You are so out of it, babe. It's not even funny."

"Gracie loves me," Steve said as he leaned heavily into Danny's upper body for support. "See? She does!"

"Of course she does," Danny sighed patiently. "Now let me go and get to bed before I drop you on that thick skull of yours."

"Wait. What about you, Danno?" Steve pressed, refusing to budge an inch, still swaying from side to side. "Don't you love me back?"

"Love you _back_? Nope, not at all," Danny said emphatically as he tried to pilot Steve out of the kitchen with Grace carefully supporting Steve's other side, mindful of his bad shoulder and her cast. "Don't like you ... never have ... never will."

"N'uhm? _Noooooo_ ... don't believe it!" Grinning, Steve caught Grace's eye and gave her a covert wink as he bussed Danny's cheek loudly yielding a disgusted flurry of objections from the man. "Now you're _monkeying_ with me, Danno! You _love_ me ... admit it."

Steve chortled happily and Grace burst into laughter because just maybe her uncle wasn't as blissfully drugged up as they'd all thought he was.

 _ **~ End. ~**_


End file.
